Transparent: Jeffrey Tambor Officially Out in Wake of Harassment Claims

Jeffrey Tambor is officially done at Transparent and will not be a part of the acclaimed Amazon drama’s upcoming fifth season.

The news, reported by our sister site Deadline, comes three months after he first was accused of engaging in sexual harassment on the set. Amazon told Deadline that Tambor will not be back at all, and that the studio’s investigation into the harassment claims has concluded.

“I have great respect and admiration for Van Barnes and Trace Lysette, whose courage in speaking out about their experience on Transparent is an example of the leadership this moment in our culture requires,” series creator Jill Soloway said in a statement. “We are grateful to the many trans people who have supported our vision for Transparent since its inception and remain heartbroken about the pain and mistrust their experience has generated in our community. We are taking definitive action to ensure our workplace respects the safety and dignity of every individual, and are taking steps to heal as a family.”

As early as Nov. 14, the Transparent writers were said to be contemplating a version of Season 5 without Tambor. It was later reported that Soloway was wrestling with the idea of killing off Tambor’s Maura Pfefferman.

In the immediate wake of the accusations against him, Tambor on Nov. 19 issued a statement suggesting he was done as Maura, saying, “this is no longer the job I signed up for four years ago,” and, “Given the politicized atmosphere that seems to have afflicted our set, I don’t see how I can return to Transparent.”

Weeks later, though, the actor’s publicist claimed to the New York Times that Tambor’s statement was meant to say that “it’s very hard for him to see how he can possibly return,” but “no final decision for next year has been made, either by Jeffrey or by Amazon.”

On Nov. 16, Tambor was accused of sexual harassment by his Transparent co-star Trace Lysette, who said that, in addition to making a comment about a sexual attack, he cornered her on the set in Season 2 and pressed his groin against her. Lysette called on Amazon to fire the two-time Emmy winner and “let the show go on.” Earlier that month, Tambor’s former assistant Van Barnes also accused the actor of groping and making lewd comments — allegations that Tambor called “baseless” at the time. Barnes’ complaints prompted Amazon to launch an investigation that Soloway supported.

When Tambor was initially believed to have quit the series, the first non-transgender accuser, makeup artist Tamara Delbridge, came forward saying that Tambor forcibly kissed her on the set of the 2001 film Never Again. In response to that, Tambor said, “I have absolutely no recollection of anything like this incident ever happening. If it did, it wasn’t meant as anything more than an enthusiastic farewell and gratitude for a job well done at the end of a shoot.”